His Wings and Their Contract
by wrmhle
Summary: Maleficent sends one of the best contract killers out to kill her abusive ex, Stefan. Future relationship Maleval. Mentions of PTSD. Violence. Future explicit sexual content. Modern Setting Contract Killer AU
1. 1 - Tumbling Memories

I may or may not change the title of this story. I'm not sure if i like it. Its always SOOOO hard for me to figure out what i want to call a story. ANYWAYYS, Alright alright settle down. Now I know there's always that one 'contract killer' au in every fandom and there isn't one for Maleval, which really doesn't make sense. Like seriously. It is so easy to see that in another life; he could totally work and kill for her. She tells him what to do and he is her 'wings'. Well, before I can rant any farther, I will show you this new little thing I wrote for my lovelies. Ah and Aurora doesn't come in until later.

Maleficent hears the phone ring twice and she hears a young gravelly voice on the other end questioningly say 'myes?' His voice is thick and sluggish with his morning awakening.

She feels anger crawling and niggling inside her stomach at his unprofessional greeting. "I am calling for your 'services'." Not caring that her annoyance lilts her voice.

She was of the thought that he would be more professional. His reviews stated that he was one of the best in his field. One even went so far as to say, 'He is so quick at his job, it's like he has wings or something!' but after that she stopped herself from reading the rest. It was complete foolishness that seemed to be written by a five year old.

He clears his throat and coughs on the other end. Maleficent feels the need to growl at the stupidity of this man.

"Ah yes," maleficent hears shuffling then papers rustling. "Their name?"

She feels herself smirk and she proudly says, "Stefan Atwood."

She thinks of Leah, Stefan's precious wife, and thinks of how miserable she must be now that he has his claws dug deep into her skin. It will take his literal death for anyone to feel better. His very presence can be venomous.

"You…You betrayed me!" Hot tears well up and slide down her cheeks in a hurry. One after the other, falling.

Pain riddles her face and she just feels it, knows that he no longer cares for her. She doesn't know how that makes her feel. Her emotions a complete mess.

Disdain passes through his face. "It had been so long since we had seen each other, I thought it was over."

She feels her stomach turn in hatred. "That is the poorest excuse I have ever heard! We haven't seen each other for four months!" She pushes his chest with force and she sees his lip curl up. Is she really that disgusting that he doesn't even want to be touched by her? He is the disgusting one!

"You are pathetic Stefan! It was a business trip! A fucking business trip and you thought I was never coming back? You know what my job is and how demanding it is!" Her eyebrows crinkle in anger, her eyes bloodshot from the newest events.

"And you got married! How long were you two together, fucking each other senseless behind my back?" He stands still, but she noticed his body shaking moments ago. "Tell me Stefan!"

He takes a step towards maleficent and she deflects his touch like the plague. "Do not touch me Stefan or I will break your hand where it is."

He looks at her angrily and says nothing but his body shakes even harder. His hands especially.

She's waited too long. He's not going to give her an answer. She takes her bag and throws his dingy apartment door open and leaves as quickly as possible. She never wants to see his despicable cheating face ever again.

She takes two steps down the stairs and feels a push on her shoulder. She had no time to think. All she knew for sure was that her world was upside down and tumbling. Her head crushed against a stair once then twice and her left wrist was probably broken. Her ankle and at least 4 of her fingers were fractured. Then suddenly she was numb.

All she could see is blurred colors of tan and brown. White and black. The tumbling felt like it never ended and her numbness of her hands told her that she couldn't stop herself yet.

Another revelation soon came. She couldn't move any of her lower half. Panic rose in her chest and once she finally stopped rolling down the two story spiral, she looked around for anyone nearby. Anyone that could help. But all she could see was Stefan at the top of the stairs looking straight down at her, and without a care, he walks away.

The last thing she hears before she drifts off into unconsciousness is his apartment door shutting and locking.

"Miss? Are you still there?"

"Yes. Pardon me but can you repeat what you said?" She feels embarrassment burn her cheeks. She hadn't noticed she was still on the phone since he was mostly silent on the other end. He must have been researching Stefan over the phone.

He clears his throat with a hint of annoyance. "Is there a specific time you need this done? If it goes according to plan, I can finish the contract within a week."

"As quickly as possible."

"Alright. And you are aware of the price?"

"Of course." She says haughtily. "Thank you for your service and I will leave the payment as you stated in your website."

"No, thank you." he says in an odd way.

She rushes to say one last thing. "When and where will you do it?"

"I have to figure out where he lives and everything first bu-"

"Call me when you know. You have my number." She grins excitedly. "Good luck."


	2. 2 - Hands

Notes: I have decided that this is the longest chapter of anything I have ever written. Thoughts and details kept popping up in my brain and I was like "Damn, This chapter makes me feel hella good!"  
>Haha anyways, I AM SO FRICKIN SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING ANYTHING RECENTLY! So much has been going on! If i ever say 'I will update soon (BLAH bLAh BLAaaaaaaH)' then that probably means 'I am the ugliest liar to ever lie and i will probably not update for a while' but PLEASE don't give up hope! I will try to fix this relationship! Baby, come back! I LOVE YOooiUUUU<p>

She was chatting with her daughter on the phone, walking out of the (quite honestly) pointless city council meeting when Aurora brought up news about this new friend she made who just so happens to be a boy. Her voice was filled with excitement, as it usually is with everything she speaks of, but Maleficent tells her not to get closer to this boy until she can decide whether this boy is worthy of her 'beastie'. Aurora giggles and says, "Fine godmother."

Maleficent lets a deep chuckle escape her ruby lips and reverberate through the empty hall. From the other side of the phone, the antique rocking chair that sits on their porch screeches from overuse under a little girl named Aurora. Maleficent glances at a window in passing to check how dark it's become and is contemplating whether or not to tell aurora to get back inside and study but her thoughts are interrupted when aurora says-

"So when are you coming home?" her voice barely carrying over the annoying cries of the poor decrepit rocking chair.

"I will be there after I pick up some groceries. I think I may lose it if we don't get some coffee in that house." More light giggles on the other end. Her phone cuts aurora off by buzzing annoyingly.

"I have a call beastie, I will be home shortly." Aurora kisses the phone loudly and maleficent can just imagine her crinkling her nose and giggling to herself.

"Goodbye godmother!"

When their call ended, she clicked the answer button as quickly as possible.

"Hello?" She tries not to let her eagerness inside her voice. She gently pushes the elevator button and anxiously waits for the sluggish machine.

"Hello miss. This Monday, 5 pm at his work." He says gladly. It's almost disquieting how happy he can make it sound. He is going to kill a man. If anyone would be overtly pleased, it would be her. "You're welcome." She assumes he said that because of her silence.

The elevator finally arrives and she walks in slowly, thinking of what to say. "Where exactly?" Her eyes glance at the elevator camera and she almost laughs at her own paranoia.

"10th floor in room 7. Is there anything else?" His voice sounds amused. "It sounds like you want to watch."

Another long pause pushes him to continue. "It is common for the contractor to want to see it done, but you mustn't get in the way. I don't usually meet my clients so…" the last word drawing out particularly longer than the rest.

She understands completely. If she did anything wrong, it would get them both in trouble. 'Life sentence in jail' kind of trouble.

"I won't get too close." The elevator door opens and she walks into the cool lobby, passing two colleagues on the way out. "Thank you for this."

He laughs easily and says, "It is my job, miss." She hangs up and immediately wishes Monday would come sooner. Three days to go.

* * *

><p>Maleficent has to admit that she feels quite shady hiring someone to… kill Stefan. A darker part of her wishes she made the decision sooner. At least she can see it happen; see his life tugged away by his predicated fate.<p>

Leah will be left alone and maleficent thinks that just maybe, Leah will be happier once he is gone. Maleficent can only imagine she is put through the same terrible things she was.

Leah would be so frightened all the time that she wouldn't even entertain the idea of leaving him and at the same time she loved him so much she couldn't bear to be without him. She could only hope he would be better the next time or the next time, which maybe something inside him would click and it would all be over. But it never ended.

It only took one of the worst nights of her life to change her mind about leaving him.

(Before the incident) Maleficent woke up with tousled blankets and the cold creeping feeling of being alone. She instantly remembers the pain of the night before. Indignantly, she curls harder into herself. Her ribs shaking with the first call of sorrow, fresh tears slide across dried ones. She distantly wonders how she fell asleep through the pain but then the realization of being knocked out came back to her. Stefan shoved her head against the dining table and everything after that was blank.

She wanted to scream from the memory of last night. She hated his drunken side yet loved the other. Why couldn't he change? Since she remembered getting knocked out in the dining room, she guesses Stefan felt bad about hitting her so he splayed her onto the bed whilst she stayed unconscious.

Her head started throbbing maliciously so she shot from her bed, nearly stumbling from her own feet, towards the joined bathroom. Her head thumps so loudly she doesn't hear the faucet streaming nor the shake of pills and gulping water.

She looks at her reflection for the first time since yesterday and she feels disgusted at herself. At the whole situation. She can see dried blood stained on her face and clinging to her hair. Her bloodshot eyes grow hotter and fill with tears. "I am filthy" she thinks to herself before she breaks her gaze from her sickly appearance.

Her legs give out; she falls onto the cold ceramic tile. Her mind slowly drags through everything that he has done up to this point and she grimly notes that every time he comes over to beat her, Aurora is gone. He is always nice when Aurora is home.

Of course he wouldn't do anything to Maleficent when beastie wasn't home because then aurora may see something she shouldn't. One witness is better than none in court and he obviously knows that. Although, Stefan doesn't know that aurora has known since the beginning. Aurora wants maleficent to go to the police about Stefan or at least break up with him and that idea doesn't seem so bad at this moment.

Minutes that felt like lifetimes passed and the only clear thought that remained in her was, 'I need to get away from him.'

* * *

><p>(Before the incident, after the realization) Maleficent told her young assistant that she would finally take the job she has been putting off. Her work mates are confused about why she would change her mind so suddenly but their concern runs no farther than that simple wonderment.<p>

They tell her once more that it will be four months that she will be gone and she is even happier that it will be that long. Although she won't be able to see her beastie in that time, she remembers how safe she will be with her aunts (although they might be a little loose in the nut jar, Maleficent trusts them). The crazy trio is one of the few places Stefan doesn't know of. She doesn't let the worry crash through her just yet. Before she can let any negative thoughts in, she readily agrees to their offer.

They give her a weeks' notice before she can leave and in that week, he doesn't try to contact her whatsoever. She wonders why he is so stupid. He is so confident in his thinking she won't say anything to anyone about him beating her. He probably thinks she is too scared to tell a soul and that would have been true about a week ago, but things have changed.

* * *

><p>Aurora knew maleficent had been beaten for years by Stefan but she didn't have any evidence against Stefan. And for some reason that made maleficent happy at that time.<p>

Maleficent loved Stefan so much and only now can she see how blinded she had been. She withstood the pain in hopes for a better time with him.

All that pain he caused her would leave scars and knowledge. She knows not all men are the same type of monster as Stefan, but the fear still cripples her in simple day-to-day physical contact. Whenever or wherever a man so chooses to place a hand on her, even if a simple touch, she finds herself momentarily paralyzed. They think touching is a type of flirtation or playful chat, but she sees it as a warning.

A caution of warning for her well-being. All they want is sex. Sometimes more than that. Worse things could happen other than sex, but she fears for any and all things that could go wrong.

She tries to imagine herself not being like this, not being some woman who has a dark past and darker secrets but all the things she has gone through and all those memories, she thinks there is no going back.

Stefan had been so sweet in the beginning and that's how all men are, she assumes. Get to know them, and they turn sour. In the end, they will break you.

Aurora tries to play matchmaker for maleficent but it always ends with maleficent being completely guarded and cold. Whichever poor soul aurora chooses leaves angry, confused, or sad and maleficent never sees him again.

She doesn't care if she ever sees a man again but it hurts her to see aurora so saddened for her godmothers sake and that is the only reason she ever plays the dangerous game of dating.

* * *

><p>Just because she is afraid of men doesn't mean she can't fight against them. She took extensive classes in karate and has gained enough skill to hold her own in a fight. Even if she is frightened by men, she knows that what happened between Stefan and herself will never happen again. This skill is what keeps her confident.<p>

* * *

><p>Her excitement was building up the entire three days. Her hatred boiled subtly until this moment, when she walked into the large corporation he owned and then everything just felt so good. She felt like she was soaring through ecstasy just by knowing that he would be gone in a little under 30 minutes.<p>

She didn't want to be seen for knowing that the security cameras would be checked after his murder so she came by bicycle. She wore large black sunglasses, a blonde (god she hated blonde. It reminded her of him) wig, and uncharacteristic bright clothes.

She lets a genuine smile gently crease her features as she presses the button for the elevator and stops herself from bouncing on her feet in excitement. She doesn't care about the looks that people give her when they see her smiling.

She feels a presence beside her and pauses her mental celebration to glance at whoever is next to her.

A handsome young man maybe a few years younger than maleficent, looks at her and smirks with blatant pride in himself. The scent of the coffee he holds in his hand is pleasantly filling the air around them.

Before Maleficent focuses back on the elevator doors opening, she sees him check her out. The man walks in and she notices it's just him and her alone.

As the doors close, he switches the coffee cup into his left hand and is about to press floor 10 when he asks maleficent, "what floor, miss?"

She knows that voice. It's… him? He's so… young. I mean yes, she guessed he was young but he looks no older than 25!

Well, she knows what he looks like so there's no point in 'not seeing each other' so she tells him the number and she sees his face turn in realization then speculation.

He presses the level number and stands straight, but remains looking at maleficent. "You work here?" He tests the waters.

"No, just visiting a… friend of mine. It's a special day." Her eyebrow raises and a smirk graces her luscious lips.

He smirks and understanding passes between them. The elevator doors finally open and a gentle breeze of air conditioning greets them. She shuffles a few steps behind him, not intruding whatsoever even if they are going to the same exact place. They continue walking down the unexpectedly empty hallway in edgy silence and finally come across room 7.

He reaches for the door handle and looks at her, pretty much saying 'go elsewhere'. She goes to throw him a seething glare but the door whips open towards Stefan adjusting his slacks and a younger woman by his desk, buttoning up her open blouse. Apparently shocked beyond belief, the young lady covers her partially revealed chest with petite arms.

Maleficent scattered quickly behind a nearby stack of metal organizers with surprising agility. Stefan regarded the young man for a second, halfway over the threshold. Just far enough for maleficent to see and him to not even guess she was there.

A young woman that Maleficent hadn't known was there rushes out of the office without any last looks to either of the men. By her intense blush, maleficent could guess what the young assassin just walked into.

"Who are you?" Stefan's voice filtered into the hallway.

"Gloria asked me to bring you coffee, said you would have a long day." He smiles gently. Maleficent can't tell if he actually knew the quiet receptionist or if he just did his research.

"Ah, you're the new intern. Come in." Stefan watches the young man carefully, but regardless glad to have free coffee.

They both descend into the office and to her dismay, the door shuts.

* * *

><p>(Diavals P.O.V)<p>

Stefan leads them into the office and takes the coffee cup from Diavals hands. Stefan sat at the large leather chair behind the antiquated wooden desk while sipping the coffee. Diaval took the chair before the desk and was simply waiting for the right time to do the deed.

He patiently waited for Stefan to stop gulping the coffee down. Afterwards, Stefan got into talking about what Diaval would be doing as an intern. Unbeknownst to Stefan, there was no intern. Stefan got up to shake his hand and Diaval immediately realized this as his chance.

Diaval rounded the desk and grasped Stefan's hand tightly, too tightly. The unknowing blonde looks down, immediately alarmed, and tries to pull away but Diaval is quick and strong, experienced and trained. Diaval twists Stefan's arm quickly, almost breaking a wrist, but that is the least of Stefan's worries. Before the other can shout in pain, the raven haired man clamps a hand over the bristly mouth.

Diaval twists the others body and he firmly holds Stefan's back to his chest. He slithers his hand up to hold Stefan's neck and the other hand at the top of his head. Stefan seems to realize what will happen and he wriggles in a strong forbidding embrace. His struggles were not enough.

The young assassin wrenches the sweaty head with all of his strength. The loud snap filled the room. Diaval let the limp body slide out of his grasp, hitting the floor with a thump. Calm settles over the room and Diaval decides to waste no time. He starts working on eliminating any and all evidence that he was even there.

* * *

><p>Maleficent waited for a few moments and tried to inconspicuously listen to the wall. Though she tried to make out what they were saying, all she could hear were mumbles through the wall. She quickly thinks over whether or not she should quietly crack the door open to hear, but she stamps the thought down. That could easily ruin everything.<p>

So, she decides to wait outside the room.

* * *

><p>Diaval enters one of the connecting rooms and finds the items he told his business partners to bring for him. The large rolling laundry bin, the perfect costume, thick rimmed glasses, a wig and a hat. The laundry bin would normally look suspicious in a business skyscraper but thankfully the penthouse at the top of the building gives the 'janitor with the laundry bin' an excuse.<p>

Diaval throws the evidence and body into the bin for later removal. He pulls his clothes off and throws them in the bin as well. The costume, wig, and hat are in place a few minutes later. He checks the clock hanging above the desk and wonders how an hour already passed.

The assassin wheels the heavy cart out into the hallway, and glances around looking for his client. She comes strolling out of the bathroom a few doors away, walking a bit faster when she sees him waiting by the office. Her eyes flicker all over him, trying to imagine what could have happened, then finds that she can't tear her gaze from the large rolling cart. She drags her hand across her mouth and swallows, just realizing how real the situation is. Stefan is dead. Multiple emotions pull her every which way, and she doesn't know exactly which one she should tug onto so she decides on her emotionless façade.

She stares into his eyes, a guarded expression in place and starts towards the elevator, the man already wheeling past her. He pulls the cart inside and pushes the lobby button. Once quiet settles, he tells her to meet him in the alley by the Thai shop and the aged apartments nearby and she silently wonders what he will do with the body.

A sick urge to peek in the bin was wriggling within her mind but a glance towards the large object told her that she won't see anything regardless. Of course he covered it with towels. Cameras would easily catch a man in a laundry basket.

Maleficent feels sickness shake her body. It hits her like a brick in the face. She killed him. She lowered her standards so far, so far below Stefan's, that she actually carried through and killed a human being. Her heart races and bile twists in her stomach. Her lunch didn't take kindly to this afternoon after all.

Maleficent struggles to maintain her façade but as she stands in the corner of the elevator, staring at the doors, she imagines that she can smell the now-rotting corpse. Her imagination runs rampant and she imagines Stefan sitting up from the basket, looking at her with dead eyes and trying to ask her why she did it but he can't talk without working lungs or vocal cords. She doesn't realize she is panting until the assassin puts an assuring hand on her shoulder, successfully tearing her from her own imagination. Her breaths are rapid and uneven. She can't even look in the direction of him, or what used to be him. She feels heat sting behind her eyes and her vision blurs with heat.

"Hey hey hey. Look at me, it's alright." He grasps her shoulder harder, not realizing that she is already back to the now. His hand that isn't holding onto her nudges her chin up and at that second, her tears finally overflow and stream down her cheeks.

"It's not alright, I just kill-"She pushes his hands away, slightly disgusted that those are the hands that killed a human being.

"a-ah shhhh." If there are cameras with microphones in this elevator, surely their cover may have just been blown. This is why he never lets his clients come.

"I am so sorry, but this is not the time." He says quietly. "They can hear you." He says while trying not to move his lips or be too loud.

Maleficent grasps her mouth with one hand and tries desperately to gain back control over her chaotic emotions. Her eyes glued to the granite flooring of the elevator, she nods once at him and wipes her tears away.

* * *

><p>They meet in the alley not too long after they departed the elevator. She guessed he went somewhere and disposed of the body because he strolls down the alley towards her wearing his previous outfit.<p>

"Are you sure you're alright?" He ticks his cigarette that she hadn't noticed before and immediately is disgusted with his habit. He notices her distaste almost as quickly as she shows it. He flicks it to the smelly alleyway gravel in response and grinds it with his sleek black dress shoes.

"I think I will be okay. I already paid you, so…"

"Yes, I just wanted to see if you were going to be alright. I don't let my customers see my work mainly because they have second thoughts and regre-"

"I do not regret it!" Her emerald eyes blazing with hatred for Stefan. Maleficent quickly realizes she no longer feels like she made the wrong choice. The assassin made her realize that what Stefan did to her was irreversible. Nothing could have changed him; he was a monster with a drink and a habit. He could barely be called human for how terrible he was to living things.

Her heart rushes with memories of him and her, the good ones, the bad ones. Maleficent tries to calm herself by taking a deep breath. She lets herself look up towards the assassin once she thinks she isn't on the cusp of weeping and finds the man across from her looking just a bit stunned from her outburst.

"Ms. I'm sorry if I upset you,"

"No, I should be the one apologizing." A nervous smile slides onto her ruby lips and she continues with, "I was sickened with myself for thinking that I put myself so low, lower then him, to the point of murder. But it doesn't matter. He was a bigger monster then anyone knew." A shaky breath releases itself from her lungs. "So, thank you." She almost feels embarrassed with her confession.

The young man's gaze remains on her features as if he is surprised but that wouldn't make sense, would it? He looks down smiling and he steps up to her, the gravel crunching as he comes closer.

He shakes his head and gives her his hand, "The name's Diaval." His smile so bright, his eyes crinkle with crow's feet.

His smile so infectious, maleficent feels her lips twitch carelessly. Maleficent is about to touch her hand to his but she remembers who she is and what she's gone through. She cannot believe she almost started trusting this man. Her hand dangles by her side uselessly and she quickly notices how awkward it just got between them.

"I'm not much of a 'physical contact' person, so…" She can't look at his face because she knows what will be in his eyes. Distaste. Disappointment. Maybe even hatred? Men don't like her; she wouldn't be surprised if this one was like the others.

"Hey," His soft tone of voice charms her to look towards his face once again and she is surprised when she sees positive emotions written into his features. Concern, care, and a bit of curiosity lies in his eyes. She continues to wonder about the reasons of his emotions before he speaks once more.

"I know from experience that it takes a long time to recover from something traumatizing. And even then you don't truly recover; you just learn how to deal with it day to day. I don't know your circumstances, but it took me years to figure that out." His eyes look blank and far off, as if he's remembering the exact thing that caused him trauma and she feels her eyes heat up for what feels like the millionth time. His words were given so strongly and with so much thought, she knew he wasn't just saying them to say them. He communicated his words from his heart.

She felt like utter shit for her earlier outburst and yet she knew that if she hadn't have done what she did she wouldn't be doing or saying what she is at this moment.

She thrusts her hand out waiting for his and tries to keep her voice from shaking, "Maleficent. Maleficent Moors." Her eyes still sting with emotion but she presses her mouth into a firm smile. She felt like this man just told her his life story in just a few words. She does not trust him yet, but she believes that maybe just maybe, this man will be different from all the others.

Diaval let's himself smile shakily, his eyebrows upturned with knowledge that this must be a huge step for this woman to touch someone she barely even met.

Both eyes stare at their intertwined hands and slowly rise to each other's emotional faces. Both carrying knowledge that the other has went through trauma and yet here they were, shaking hands like old friends. Maleficent would have no idea until the near future that this would be a new beginning. For both of them.

Notes: I love you guys _**so**_ much omg. Review?


	3. 3 - Illusions

Notes:HUH WHAT A NEW CHAPTER? I NEVER THOUGHT I WAS GOnna GET this out. Okay I'm really sorry. I haven't been writing as often and I actually have excuses! MULTIPLE EXCUSES of which I will not disclose lol. I'm sure you don't wanna hear them. Anyways, I am really sorry because I haven't written for any of my works for a while and this is like the only active one...(yikers) BUT here it is. I RECENTLY GOT INTO THE SUPERNATURAL FANDOM AND THAT HAS TAKEN UP A LOT OF MY TIME OKAy? HOLY CRAP 10 FRICKEN SEASONS!

Several weeks had passed since Stefan had his visit with death and to be quite honest, Maleficent was in heaven-sent bliss. Well, not really heaven-sent, but you get the point. Although, her everyday life remained tainted by Stefan. Ever the life ruiner, even in death. She wishes her memory would wipe itself clean and then maybe she can assimilate a somewhat normal life; a life before Stefan deterred all the things that made her existence tolerable.

She still had flashbacks. Everyday tasks would become extremely difficult; like whenever she goes to take a shower, she tries all she can not to look at herself because she knows bad memories will barrage her psyche and her day will be ruined but all her trying goes to waste when a hand, a finger, a nail grazes over a scar left from him and she can't help the shutter that takes over her body. She won't stop weeping until Aurora knocks lightly on the door, asking if she is alright. She wishes she could ground out a more agreeable answer for aurora, just so she doesn't have to worry for her godmother. But after an episode racks her soul dry, she doesn't have the energy to put on a mentally-well façade. But, at least Stefan couldn't do any more then he already has. She tells herself that regularly everyday (especially after an episode) and it helps her get through the day.

Since a few weeks have passed, 'The Peculiar Murder of Stefan Atwood' has become less and less of a debacle on the news and more and more relieving to Maleficent. If she sees his face on the TV one more time, she feels the cops will burst through her door to apprehend her for Stefan'smurder. She knows that is completely bonkers. If anyone would be taken to prison, it would be the one who actually killed Stefan. At least, that is what she tells herself. And at least he isn't on the news as much as he used to be.

Today started off particularly bad. She figured she could take her mind off of a few things by walking her dogs. They need the exercise, she needs the exercise, and it's all good for everyone. Aurora is at school until 3:30, but if she had been home, her little beastie would have begged to come with.

She takes the leashes from the coat hanger beside the door and calls out for her two pups; Willow and Timber. Her two beautiful furried children dart from the living room, their nails scratching along the dark wooden floor. Tails wag ferociously and tongues loll out of mouths, they jump at the door in excitement. Maleficent can't help but laugh at their innocence; something that she knows she craves.

With innocence there comes serenity and peace. Innocence is the complete opposite of evil, she thinks. She won't let herself delve to deeply into the topic of evil, so she lets the heat graze past her into the house after opening the front door. Willow and Timber tug onto the leashes enthusiastically, finally heading out of the air-conditioned house and into the humid heat of spring.

* * *

><p>After a good walk around the river by her house, she lets the dogs out the back and decides she needs to do some errands before she can pick up Aurora. She has around an hour and a half before she needs to be at her school.<p>

Maleficent climbs into her sleek brown Avalon and drives down to the nearest and least crowded grocery store. When she finally gets to the checkout station after buying all the food (that should last a month but really ends up lasting a week and a half) she spots him at another checkout station.

The initial wince urges her to blink multiple times, just to make sure that was him. It was. Her body shakes with terror and her entire body seizes up. Without realizing it, she dropped her money and change to the ground. Her eyes are trained on him so intently, everything else around him, around her, is continuously fading away into a dark void. Stefan is standing there, watching her with dead unseeing eyes. He's mouthing something to her and she finds that she is too frightened to figure out what it is. He will kill me. He will kill me!

Somebody is shaking her and it takes all the effort she can muster up not to scream in terror. Although, she is already crying. This situation couldn't be worse. Maleficent looks at the person that is shaking her and sees that it's Diaval, holding her shoulders tightly, uncomfortably. When did he get here?

She thinks he is yelling at someone for help but everything sounds like they're underwater. She tries to look back at where she saw Stefan and he's not there. He's coming for me, isn't he?

Her vision goes blurry and then her world tilts sideways. Never before has she had hallucinations, and she thinks slowly that it must be because of all the flashbacks, lack of sleep, and lack of nourishment, that she is finally going crazy. It was due to happen sometime, right? That is her last thought before the world finally fades to black.

* * *

><p>Maleficent sees the bright white lights even before she opens her eyes. She's in a hospital. Immediately, she wonders why. She can't remember why.<p>

She looks around the room and her dry eyes fall upon a dark figure bundled up in a medical blanket on a very uncomfortable looking chair. Diavals hair is a mess, tufts ruffled up around where his hand is set on the side of his face.

She purposely coughs loud enough to wake him up and he jumps slightly, his hand dropping from his cheek and his head lolling just to pop back up with drowsiness. She lifts an eyebrow, hoping that he understands to explain to her what happened because she sure as hell doesn't remember.

He clears his throat and tries to fix his shirt and hair before speaking. "Ello, uh I was waiting for you to wake up," He clearly didn't understand what the uplifting of her brow meant, until of course he does. "Do you remember anything from yesterday?"

Yesterday? Yesterday, she got up, made breakfast, saw Aurora off to school, walked the dogs, drove to the grocery sto- Shit. She saw Stefan yesterday. She hallucinated for the first time yesterday. She had finally gone crazy yesterday. Then she remembers that no one picked aurora up from school. She hopes aurora had called one of her aunts to pick her up. She desperately needs to know where aurora is.

She tries getting up but her head pounds heavily, an almost muffled groan slips from her lips. Diaval races to her side and presses the button by the bed to alert a nurse to come.

"Please rest." His dark eyes look pained and pleading. "I'll do whatever you were getting up to do?"

Maleficent sends Diaval a seething look that says "Just because I'm wounded doesn't mean I am helpless" but lays down in defeat. She tries massaging her temples, but it just shoots white-hot pain straight to her nerves. The type of pain that makes your skin crawl and your stomach lurch. A nurse comes waltzing through the door, shuffling towards maleficent. She checks Maleficent's vitals before asking her a few questions.

"This young man carried you in, literally. I wish I had such a loyal and caring friend by my side." The nurse laughs like a dumb bimbo. Maleficent sees Diaval look away from the two and she lets herself wonder for a moment why he would do something so selfless for a near stranger. And, why was he even there in the first place? She tries not to worry herself about what else could have happened between the times from the grocery store to the hospital. She hopes Diaval isn't secretly some sick pervert that gets off on sick and unconscious women.

After that, the nurse told Maleficent she had a mild concussion and would be held there for observation. She was on pain medication every day for her back, but on top of that, they gave her morphine. Not like it would actually help.

* * *

><p>They were finally discharging her from the hospital. Diaval had come by to visit before leaving to get them both food when a nurse told her she could go. She wanted to wait for him to come back but not because of him, but because of the food he was bringing. She was starving. And anyways, she was sick and tired of eating the luke-warm and pasty hospital food.<p>

They started taking all the equipment and tubes off her; she silently hoped Diaval would get here quickly before she could leave. Just as she left the joined bathroom from changing, she glanced around the room and found a just-ran-in disheveled Diaval with a big brown bag full of greasy deliciousness in hand. Her stomach growled in delight.

"They ran out of fries so they had to make new ones," He looks down at the bag and huffs his exhaustion.

Maleficent smothered a smile and wondered silently why he was being so nice to her. She looked to the bag in obvious hunger and he took the hint.

"Since the warden told me they're letting you out, would you like to eat somewhere? Maybe I could drive us to a park and you can eat this disgusting food" Diaval held up the bag and sort of shook it with a smile.

Maleficent tried not to look uncomfortable, she really did, but apparently her hesitance showed on her face. His face fell a bit- She could tell he tried to hide his disappointment but his effort failed. "Or I could just leave this here for you."

Although she did feel bad for letting him down, she didn't feel all too well. All she wanted was to lie in bed, watch Netflix for a regrettable amount of time with her favorite human, and chomp down on some fast food.

"I don't think I'm up to it today." She didn't know why she said that like it was okay for another time. It came out wrong, is what she thinks before he speaks.

"Another time then?" He says with hope in his voice. His face remains stoic yet his eyes twinkle heartily. He finally sets the bag of food on the hospital bed and waits for her response patiently.

"That is… acceptable." Somewhere midsentence, her eyes fall to her feet. She wants to add something, but words cease to come to mind.

He smiles at her but she doesn't look up yet. She hears clothing rustling, he's leaving. She finally let's herself look into his deep brown (near black) orbs. The warmth she finds in his eyes is confusing. His pale pink lips upturn into a soft smile and her heart leaps.

His half-turn was interrupted by their very silent and very awkward staring contest. He lets himself linger there by the bed, smiling warmly. He flinches and maleficent thinks he must have just realized that he has been staring at her for a few moments now. He walks around the bed towards the doorway and pauses.

"Until next time, Maleficent." He smiles at her from the doorway and then disappears into the hallway.

* * *

><p>When Maleficent finally bursts through the old creaky door, she is greeted by a tight warm hug coming from the one and only beastie. Her heart swells with joy when aurora keeps squeezing her tighter and tighter. She wants to laugh but her child is squeezing her too tight for her lungs to expand.<p>

"Alright alright, remember I'm wounded."

Aurora pulls away from her, face falling from bright sunshine and relief to being angry and telling maleficent off.

"Why didn't you call me? Or text me?" Her hands rest on her hips and her foot taps on the wood floor impatiently. "I thought you got in a car crash," The tension in her body morphs into sadness this time, her eyes already turning red and brimming with new tears. Maleficent can't help but wonder how hard it must be being a teenager, all these emotions tugging their bodies every which way. At least three emotions tugged at Aurora between the few minutes that passed after Maleficents arrival.

"I was so scared." Her lip quivers before she bursts forward for another constricting hug. Maleficent holds Aurora gently and apologizes over and over until aurora understands. Maleficent explains to her what happened but completely emits the fact she hallucinated Stefan. She tells her beastie that she feinted in exhaustion. She thankfully believes it although she remains worried.

Maleficent wishes she didn't have to lie to Aurora but the truth is painful and embarrassing. She didn't think she would go crazy from the guilt. Wait, no. This is not guilt. This is not even near guilt, is it? Is it? Her head pounds, perfect timing, which reminds her of the many hours spent at the hospital. Lying around doing absolutely nothing wore her out for some reason, maybe the pain meds. She pads up the stairs and into her very comfortable looking bed.

Fluffy covers and a subscription to Netflix greet her in bed. It's just another plus when Aurora flies through the door at hearing the first notes to doctor who.

* * *

><p>It's not until a few days later does Maleficent realize that Diaval is in her contacts list.<p>

Damn him.

Notes: Okay so thanks for commenting everyone! It reminds me to keep working on the story. I'm actually not a Whovian but I felt like Doctor Who is something Mal and Aurora would watch together. Aurora would be too scared to watch the stuff Maleficent watches lolol.


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